<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>All Alone on Life Day by LoveReading</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28201812">All Alone on Life Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveReading/pseuds/LoveReading'>LoveReading</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cannonverse, Christmas, Christmas Music, F/M, Family Angst, Force Bond, Hallmark Channel References, Life Day (Star Wars), Politics, Reylo - Freeform, Skywalker Family Drama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:35:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,064</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28201812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveReading/pseuds/LoveReading</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two lonely hearts meet at a cafe on Coruscant during the Life Day season. Can they find a way to be together while the rising First Order threatens the New Republic's fragile peace?</p><p>Story inspired by the fabulous song "All Alone on Christmas" by Darlene Love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I Love Life Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic started out as a simple coming together of two lonely people on Life Day. My plans tend to become unreasonable expectations. Ben's tiny First Order backstory snuck up on me has become much more prominent. I'm still gathering my plans for future chapters and had wanted to wait until more was written, but it's almost Christmas! So here I go!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 1 music:<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/wemjvUbBgz0">All Alone on Christmas</a> Darlene Love<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/coBf23FvMdQ">I Love Christmas</a> Ross Lynch and Laura Marano</p><p>Tentative fic playlist is in the end notes.</p><p>If you are coming here from my last fic, Rey is not adopted in this story (so no Rogue One characters) and I kept the cafe name the same. I might have a thing for coffee house stories!</p><p>Snoke is as creepy and manipulative as he is in Ben's canon backstory and will come up in this story. Not sure how to tag it since it's a thing in the films, so mentioning it here.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>Ben had been going to the Galaxy's Edge Cafe in Imperial City for years, ever since he began working for Senator Snoke. He was recruited as an intern and had worked his way up to where he was today as the senator from Corusant's right-hand man. But, unfortunately, this caused a huge rift between Ben and his family. Ben met Snoke when he was just a child following his mother around to Senate meetings. Snoke was a nice, older man, not yet a senator at the time, to young Ben and always willing to listen to the young boy's troubles when his own mother was too busy at meetings. And, now this is important, Snoke was not afraid of Ben like his father had been when Ben's force sensitivity exploded at 10 years old. This is when the Solos sent Ben to train with his uncle Luke. Ben was always lonely and really only had two good friends. One was a fellow student named Tai and the other was Snoke.</p><p>Snoke was thrilled, much more so than Ben, at the idea of his training until it became clear Uncle Luke was holding him back. <em>"You'll never reach your full potential with Skywalker,"</em> is what Snoke spat out more and more often as the years went by. Ben didn't want to believe him until one day, he awoke in the middle of the night to his uncle trying to kill him as he slept. Ben left his uncle's school that day and began his training with Snoke, following him a couple years later as an intern with his Senate campaign. Ben has been working with him ever since, never seeing his family.</p><p>Which brings him to the Galaxy's Edge Cafe in Corusant's Federal District. This branch of the cafe chain was located in the plaza near the Galactic Senate and so was frequented by many politicians and their staff. Ben figured out early on after moving to Imperial City that is was a good place to hear gossip. While stopping by for a cup of his favorite Naboo Roast, Ben would skim the surface memories and thoughts of the staff and customers around him. Sometimes, when Ben's mind probe didn't reveal enough useful information, Snoke would send in his troopers to bring people in for interrogation. Ben always wore a mask for those deeper, painful mind probes. He had even created a new feared name for himself around the galaxy: Kylo Ren. The people of Coruscant had become accustomed to seeing Jedi around in their customary light flowing robes. But Ben was no Jedi and the Council held no power over him, so no one ever suspected him of being a Force user.</p><p>A way too cheery Life Day song was playing when Ben walked in. This time of year was almost unbearable. Coruscant went over-the-top for the holiday, decorating every surface and playing music everywhere a full two months before Life Day. There was no escape. Even the holo networks showed marathons of extremely sappy love stories that all featured identical plots. He missed the more personal celebration on Kashyyyk, but he needed to stop that line of thought.</p><p>"Billion lights are blinking, jingle bells are ringing, everybody's singing <em>I Love Life Day</em>." The girl behind the counter bopped and sang along to the song, the three buns on the back of her head bouncing, but her face didn't match the words. She looked like she was trying to dance some Life Day spirit into herself. "Oh whoa oh whoa oh whoa– Oh!" She straightened when she noticed Ben standing at the counter in front of her. "Sorry. This is my first Life Day. I only just heard of it a couple weeks ago because– You don't need to know this. I'm sorry. They told me to be friendly and I'm still figuring out what that is. It's hard to be friendly when someone is trying to steal what you scavenged from a wreck in the desert and you <em>need</em> those things to–" She cleared her throat. "Sorry. So, what will it be today?"</p><p>Ben raised an eyebrow at her ramblings, looking down at the young woman behind the counter. "A scavenger? How did a scavenger from the desert become a barista in a city?"</p><p>"Not that it's any of your business, but I stole a ship because I was starving and Unkar Plutt was not being fair with trades." She flashed a beaming smile. "And then the ship's owner found me in space and invited me here. Your order, sir?"</p><p>"Right." Ben cleared his throat, finding it awfully convenient that the Milennium Falcon appeared in a Coruscant spaceport the same time as this girl after being missing for years. "Naboo Roast. Tall. One sugar."</p><p>"Alright." She tapped her fingers on her screen. "Please scan your credit chip."</p><p>Ben tapped his chip onto the reader and after a flashing green beep, the barista spun around and began tinkering with a coffee machine. He took a look around before hopping up on a stool at the counter. It was pretty empty this time of day. He came just before the evening rush. Snoke told him yesterday to keep an eye out for the new barista who was friends with Senator Organa. Maybe this was her. It was their only lead after interrogating then losing Poe Dameron. "So, desert scavenger, where are you from?"</p><p>The young woman jumped, looking at Ben with wide eyes. "Me? Oh, I'm from nowhere."</p><p>"Nobody's from nowhere."</p><p>She paused, hovering the coffee pot over a cup. "I'm from Jakku."</p><p>Ben felt his lips oddly twitch into what must be a rare smile. He didn't usually have much to smile about. He would have guessed Tatooine. "You're right. That is nowhere." He reached for the cup she slid across the counter, reading her nametag with only three letters. "Nice to meet you, Rey from Nowhere. I'm Ben."</p><p>"Ben from....?" Rey waved her hand in a <em>please continue</em> motion.</p><p>"Chandrilla, but... I haven't been back there in a long time now, so..." He shrugged a shoulder. "Here now, I guess." Maybe he should also say nowhere.</p><p>Rey tilted her head, eyeing him curiously. "You're from nowhere too."</p><p>Ben's eyebrows shot up. Another Force user? "Did you just read my mind? Are you some kind of Jedi?" He <em>did not</em> want anything to do with any Luke Skywalker associates. They could all remain in the Jedi Temple for all he cared.</p><p>"What!?" Rey burst out laughing, an infectious laugh. "I thought the Jedi were fairytales. Heroic legends made up to inspire. Give people hope."</p><p>"No. It's true. All of it." Ben frowned down at his cup. "Except the heroic part. You'd be surprised how uninspiring they can really be." He lightly scoffed, taking a sip of his coffee.</p><p>Rey took no notice of Ben's lack of interest in the Jedi, continuing on in wonderment. "So there really is a Jedi Temple here?"</p><p>The bell above the door chimed, signaling the arrival of another customer and causing Rey to jump. She gave Ben an apologetic smile before going to take their order. The customer who had come in stepped to the to-go counter to wait for his order, leaving Ben alone to gently pry into Rey's thoughts. Poe Dameron, Leia's personal pilot, had proven to be useless. Ben was nearly there, after two days he was sent in to begin the probe of digging into Dameron's thoughts when he was called away to a disturbance in another part of the compound. The only thing Ben managed to rip from Dameron's thoughts was a new barista at this very cafe. Ben hadn't been gone long when FN-2187.... the traitor.... had somehow stumbled into the holding cell while running away from his Storm Trooper training, taking Dameron with him. Snoke was furious. So now here Ben was drinking his favorite coffee in his favorite cafe, raising his hand to gently pry into Rey's mind. That's when she flinched, nearly dropping the coffee she was pouring. Ben flinched too, snatching his hand back as if burned. He could sense through the Force Rey's sadness and a similar loneliness to his own, but where he wrapped his emotions up in a dark blanket, Rey's threatened to burst like a shooting star. He caught a glimpse of a ship flying away in the distance before her mind shut and he was thrown out.</p><p>Rey smoothed her hands down the front of the apron tied around her waist before giving herself a little shake. "What a strange planet," she mumbled.</p><p>"What was that?" Ben asked around the rim of his cup.</p><p>"Oh, um...." Rey fidgeted with a stack of to-go cups. "I just feel strange, all of a sudden. I'm probably not adjusted to this kind of environment, is all. It's quite different from a sparsely populated desert."</p><p>"Hmmm, I'm sure," Ben agreed, though he didn't really. Her strange feeling had to be his mind probe even though he didn't do any deep digging. "Well, I should get going. I need to get back to work." He walked over to the bin to place his empty mug. A service droid would come by occasionally to scan the bin and when full, take it back for cleaning.</p><p>"What? Now? Isn't it getting a bit late?" Rey peered out the front window to catch a glimpse of the night fast approaching. "I mean, Senate aides typically finish up soon, not start. They'll be flooding in any moment now."</p><p>Ben tilted his head curiously. He never told her his job. "When did I tell you I worked in the Senate?"</p><p>"When..." she spun around, pointing to where she was standing pouring coffee earlier. "I thought..." she turned back to look at Ben, eyebrows pinched in confusion. "Maybe I assumed?"</p><p>Ben nodded because what else could he do? He was just as confused and he could sense she wasn't lying. He would have to ask Snoke later if there is such a thing as a two-way mind probe. "Will you be here tomorrow, Rey?"</p><p>Rey's scrunched face softened into a smile. "Yes. I'm here the same time everyday except Centaxday. I think. I'm not exactly used to giving names to days."</p><p>Ben chuckled along with her, an odd tingly feeling in his chest. Centaxday was yesterday. He had a whole week to spend with her before her day off. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." Not that he <em>wanted</em> to spend time with her. He needed information on his mother's plans. There were rumors floating around the Senate that some of the populist leadership was threatening to break off to form a resistance.</p><p>And then the music filtering through the cafe switched to a different song... bells chiming, drums, and that annoyingly hopeful saxophone.</p><p>
  <em>The cold wind is blowin' and the streets are getting dark<br/>
I'm writing you a letter and I don't know where to start<br/>
The bells will be ringing Jedi Master devine<br/>
I get a little lonely every year around this time</em>
</p><p>Ben's shoulders slumped.</p><p>"I know I just met you, but," Rey spoke softly from her place still behind the counter, "I feel it too. You don't need to spend Life Day alone. I don't plan to. If I can do it, anyone can."</p><p>
  <em>Where do lonely hearts go?<br/>
Nobody ought to be all alone on Life Day</em>
</p><p>Rey was projecting feelings of friendship and hope, all now unfamiliar things to Ben, but so like his mother. "Whose ship did you steal?"</p><p>Rey tightly pursed her lips, probably surprised at the abrupt topic change and clearly mulling over exactly what information to tell him. "Leia warned me not to be too friendly, especially with anyone from Senator Snoke's delegation."</p><p>"Of course she would say that," Ben scoffed, stepping back up to the counter. "I never told you either who I work for."</p><p>Rey's eyes widened when Ben's fingertips brushed her forehead. "Get out of my head. I know it's you doing that."</p><p>"Doing what?" Ben asked, pushing a bit more. An image of a smiling Han Solo coming from Rey's mind.</p><p>"That." Rey sniffled, struggling to move from her frozen position. "Stop it."</p><p>"Han Solo. He feels like the father you never had." Ben lowered his hand, moving back slightly. "He would have disappointed you."</p><p>"You... you're afraid, Ben Solo, that you'll never be as strong as Darth Vader," Rey pushed back, causing Ben to grab his head with both hands. The invasion in his mind <em>hurt</em>. "You think your grandfather's power is a cure for loneliness, but it's not."</p><p>Ben took a step back closer to the exit in disbelief that she flipped his mind probe back on him, but he couldn't let it distract him yet. "What's my mother up to, Rey? I know she told you something."</p><p>"Well, I'm not telling you anything." She glared, pointing to the door behind Ben. "Leave."</p><p>
  <em>Nobody ought to be all alone on Life Day</em><br/>
<em>Nobody ought to be all alone on Life Day</em><br/>
<em>Nobody ought to be all alone on Life Day</em>
</p><p>Ben walked backwards, song fading in the background, small smirk firmly on his lips. "We'll see." He barely caught the shocked look on Rey's face before he turned around and left through the automatic doors.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tentative fic playlist. Some of this may change, but this is what I have in mind so far. I don't use Spotify, so...</p><p>Links open in a new tab or YouTube app.</p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/wemjvUbBgz0">All Alone on Christmas</a> Darlene Love<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/coBf23FvMdQ">I Love Christmas</a> Ross Lynch and Laura Marano<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/TmzgWVJSFL8">Mittens</a> Carly Rae Jespen<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/0jUpyqptf18">This Is Christmas</a> Suzie McNeil<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/P1qXL1cEgi4">Where Are You Christmas</a> Faith Hill<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/SFGC_YgeQ5w">The Most Wonderful Time of the Year</a> Andy Williams<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/Domb2hrIYws">Christmas in the City</a> Elizabeth Chan<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/FaJmopuuhZE">Happy Xmas (War Is Over)</a> Josh Groban<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/Y3gbnYJ_pyM">Greatest Time of Year</a> Aly &amp; A.J.<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/HIhZ5O3eRJI">Bring on the Holidays</a> tobyMac<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/hVIrAhv7WNs">Celebrate Me Home</a> Kenny Loggins<br/>** Donna Summer also has this <a href="https://youtu.be/7SohmWpdHT8">hidden gem of a version</a> with slightly different lyrics, which I think was done in tribute for friends who died in a car crash. "I'm finally here / I'm not alone."</p><p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Mittens</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://youtu.be/TmzgWVJSFL8">Mittens</a> Carly Rae Jespen<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/SFGC_YgeQ5w">The Most Wonderful Time of the Year</a> Andy Williams</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been almost a week since Rey had first and last seen Ben Solo. In person, that is. She swears she's seen him pop up here and there in places he should not be, but she would blink and he would be gone. She found him to be a friendly customer at first. There was <i>something</i> about him from the very second she saw him in the coffee shop. A connection of sorts that had her looking forward to him coming back. She sensed a lonliness in him that she knew all too well. Could there actually be someone similar to herself on this planet? </p><p>But oh how wrong she was. Ben turned out to be the wayward son of Leia and Han she heard whisperings about since her arrival on Coruscant, one of those whisperings being the rumor that he was the rising First Order dark Force user Kylo Ren. When Ben pushed into her mind, a bit of his own came out. Rey had told absolutely no one about their encounter. She couldn't. Not when she was friends with his parents. If he was indeed Kylo Ren, then is he one of the people who interrogated Poe? Poe said that after he spent two days in a holding cell, they strapped him to a table and a masked man in all black invaded his mind. She was afraid of what the news would do to Han, Leia, and Poe and even more afraid of what acknowledging what had happened would do to her. For now, Rey was content to be in blissful ignorance. Right now blissful ignorance meant exploring a supermarket on her day off. She had an actual paying job now and could buy things, but she didn't know yet what exactly to buy.</p><p>"Gogurt value pack. 12 strawberry splash, 12 berry blue blast," Rey read to herself from a box of yogurt she picked up. "Glow in the dark lightsaber tubes inside?" She disgustedly slammed the box back into the refrigerated shelf and rubbed her mitten covered hands together. This section of the store, no the whole store, actually the entire city was freezing. "I wonder if they sell portions around here?" She looked around trying to decide where a huge supermarket that sold lightsaber yogurt would stock something like that.</p><p>Feeling like this was a pointless trip, Rey dropped her basket in the stack at the end of the aisle. Simple food. That's all she wanted. Never seeing Ben Solo again was a very close second, yet here he was sitting on a freezer when she turned around after feeling and odd swelling sensation, wondering why the store suddenly went silent. What was he doing here watching her shop? He slowly turned his eyes on her, mouth agape, like he couldn't believe she was there when he was the one lounging on a freezer. Rey threw the first thing she could grab at him, a small bottle of blue milk, but it simply passed through his chest and landed with a smack behind him. Ben visibly shook, looking down at himself where the bottle passed through, before looking at Rey again. Thankfully the refrigerated section was near an exit so Rey spun on her heal and ran out, but there was Ben skidding out from behind a Life Day tree. </p><p>Ben quickly flung an arm out. "You will tell me Leia Organa's plans."</p><p>But Rey felt nothing this time. None of the claws in her brain and she could still move. It was just an all encompassing silence, an especially unnusual sensation for loud bustling Coruscant.</p><p>Obviously still shaken and looking embarrassed that his interrogation wasn't working again, Ben licked his lips and dropped his arm. "You're not doing this. The effort would kill you," he commented while looking up and all around. "No. This is something else."</p><p>Rey glared at him. "Are you stalking me now?"</p><p>"Can you see my surroundings?" Ben ignored her question to ask his own.</p><p>"You're gonna pay for what you've done to Poe," Rey spat out angrily, defending her new friend. "And your parents," she added. She didn't know much about the situation, but she knew enough to know a son had parents who very much wanted him. </p><p>"I can't see yours." Ben continued ignoring her, but set his softening gaze on her. "Just you." It softened even more when he noticed Rey hugging herself shivering. "You're somewhere cold."</p><p>"This entire planet is cold." Rey looked out at the city sniffling slightly. Not because she was crying, but because the chill was making her nose tickle.</p><p>Ben sighed, slowly peeling a black leather glove from his hand finger by finger then repeating with the other hand. "Here." He took a few steps closer, holding his gloves out. When Rey didn't move, he shook his outstretched hand impatiently.</p><p>"I just threw a bottle of blue milk through you," Rey reminded him while pointing to the store. "You can't just give me your gloves."</p><p>"I could try," Ben replied with an excited gleam in his eyes.</p><p>"Besides," Rey went on, "I have my mittens. See?" She held up both hands.</p><p>Ben's lips twitched and he dropped his arm. "Those aren't mittens. They're bags you tied to your hands."</p><p>Rey looked down at her hands, spreading her fingers under the fabric. He was right. "I haven't figured out how to make gloves yet. I already wasted enough fabric trying to sew the fingers." </p><p>"You know you can buy gloves, right?" Ben asked, eyebrow raised. "Or take mine." He held out the gloves in his hand again. "Please."</p><p>They did look warm. "Gloves are expensive. I need to save so I can buy enough supplies and return to Jakku because –"</p><p>"Your parents aren't there, Rey." Ben crossed his arms impatiently.</p><p>"How did you–?" Rey shook her head. </p><p>When it was clear neither of them had anything else to say, Ben held out the gloves again. Rey gave up and removed her mittens, stuffing them in her satchel, and took the offered gloves this time. "It worked," she whispered in wonder, running her fingers gently of the worn material before smiling up at Ben, who had his wide eyes locked on the gloves he had handed to her. She carefully slid them on her hands and though extremely roomy because of Ben's much larger hands, they were soft and warm. When she looked up again to thank him, he was gone. </p><p>Rey began the walk back to her apartment. She didn't actually need to shop today, but the supermarket was conveniently located on the same level as her apartment just outside the Senate District. When she first arrived on Coruscant, she spent her very first night hugging the toilet in Han and Leia's fresher. The food here hadn't agreed with her stomach and still even almost one month later, she hadn't found much she actually enjoyed eating. Food was meant for survival. So every Centaxday found her at the local supermarket where she could take her time browsing such fine foods as lightsaber yogurt and Masterpiece Barbeque potato chips. That package read, <i>"FREE INSIDE! Collectible game card! Millions of winners!"</i></p><p>
  <i>It's the most wonderful time of the year<br/>
With the kids jingle belling<br/>
And everyone telling you be of good cheer<br/>
It's the most wonderful time of the year!</i>
</p><p>The street was lined with brightly lit, colorful trees and holiday music pumped through the speakers. It was a sharp contrast to Rey's mood. Everyone told her she should be happy to be off Jakku, maybe happy like those kids running by with red striped candy canes in their mouths. She arrived at what was probably the worst possible time for someone who has never celebrated Life Day. The spaceport, which could fit all of Niima Outpost inside, was having garlands hung as Han landed the ship. Rey remembers vividly watching through the cockpit window people wearing red hats and draping leafy green things from the ceiling. None of it made Rey happy. Curious? Yes. But mostly, she was overwhelmed and felt like she belonged less than on Jakku.</p><p>Some of the other parts of Life Day Rey heard about, she was looking forward to those. Chewie, Han's Wookie friend, told her Life Day celebrated family, joy, and harmony with a big feast. Rey had never had a feast before so she was looking forward too it. Chewie also mentioned decorating a tree, which he had given her a couple weeks ago while also apologizing that it wasn't a traditional tree. This tree was a spiral rack with holes going all the way up for the ornaments and built in twinkle lights. It was currently the most popular Life Day tree trend on Coruscant. Rey had yet to hang the ornaments, which was why her friend Finn was coming over. Chewie told her it was best to decorate with friends and family.</p><p>Family.... Rey stopped, slumping against the wall next to her apartment door. If she was spending Life Day with Ben's family, then <i>who</i> was he spending it with? Did he have someone to hang ornaments from the tree with? He looked so sad when that song came on in the cafe last week. The one about being alone on Life Day.</p><p>"Oh, Ben." Rey looked down at her gloved covered hands. His gloves. She pulled them off as she walked into the apartment's common room, then set them carefully on a low table she had. It was one of her only pieces of furniture aside from the tree and a small shelving unit made from scraps she found outside.</p><p>The door bell rang, causing Rey to jump. Her AT-AT did not have such a feature. She hung her satchel and coat on a hook before checking the security camera and letting Finn in. He was also new here, having run away from a mysterious First Order training program, and lived a few apartments down. Instead of being trained to kill, now he worked in Leia's Senate office. He was adjusting to life here much faster than Rey. He had a small headstart, but it's like he was here forever. Rey attributed it to Finn's lack of starvation and loneliness. The First Order fed it's soldiers and Finn spoke fondly of the other trainees, referring to them as brothers. He wanted to save them.</p><p>"Hi, Finn!" Rey greeted with a smile.</p><p>"I have the supplies." Finn stepped through the door and held up the bags in his hands. "Check this out." Rey followed Finn curiously down the hall, watching him dump the bags onto her empty kitchen counter. "I brought snacks!" He dug into one of the bags, pulling out a bag of....salt and vinegar chips.</p><p>Rey's eyebrows shot up. It was one of those collectible card bags. "Snacks?"</p><p>"Yep" Finn eagerly ripped open the bag, holding out to her. "You know, something to munch on when we get hungry."</p><p>People were always seeming to eat on this planet. The cafe sold all kinds of treats like cookies, muffins, and tiny sandwiches that didn't look very filling. Rey ate food because it was necessary, not for fun, and could stuff a whole tiny sandwich in her mouth so she always ate at least half a dozen on her breaks. "Thanks, Finn. I'm good. You go ahead, though."</p><p>Finn shrugged, not noticing her slight discomfort, and popped a chip in his mouth. "Let's see what card I got!" He said after a moment of loudly crunching. He peered into the bag, taking out a flat package and ripping off the wrapping. The card series featured different actors and actresses from this year's Life Day films on the Gold Crown Network, which Finn was trying to collect. Rey didn't quite understand the thrill of finding these little cards since you could enter each card's unique code for only a chance at winning a huge credits prize, but Finn was excited about his first ever collection of anything. He even had a book to put them in. "Cool." He nodded approvingly. "This is the actress who was in that movie set on Hoth." </p><p>"Oh! I think I saw that one. She was the wedding planner who almost got eaten by a wampa?" Rey looked at the card in Finn's hands, recognizing the woman from the holofilm she watched a couple nights ago. The holoscreen came with the apartment, so she might as well use it to learn more about Life Day. Poe suggested the Gold Crown Network for films.</p><p>"That's the one!" Finn put the card on the counter laughing. "Got herself hung up in a cave until a man from the research base rescued her. I hope that bride's flowers were worth it."</p><p>Rey giggled. "How did she not die?" It was the craziest story ever told, Rey was convinced. An extremely demanding bride only wanted a very specific flower native to Hoth for her bouquet. So off the wedding planner went on a Hoth adventure that almost killed her, but at least she found the flowers plus a side of true love with the scientist who rescued her.</p><p>"Beats me. Hey," Finn nudged Rey with his elbow, "we should watch one of those films while we decorate your tree!"</p><p>Rey walked over to the holoscreen, tapping a few buttons until the Gold Crown Network came up. She didn't know what film was currently showing, but the characters on screen were throwing flour at each other so it could be anything. It seemed like a huge waste to her.</p><p>"Hey, Rey? When did you get these nice gloves?" Finn asked from where he was sitting on the floor near her table, holding up Ben's gloves. "You never buy <i>anything</i> except food, and even that's rare."</p><p>"I just don't see the point of eating unless I need to," Rey crossed her arms, defending herself.</p><p>"Snacks are for your mental health!" Finn threw up his arms, clearly exasperated. "It's just as important as your stomach."</p><p>"Fiiiiiiiine," Rey drew out the word, "I'll try one of your chips." She picked up the bag, opening it carefully and crinkling her nose at the potent smell. After giving the bag a little shake and glancing over at Finn, who gave her an encouraging nod, she took a chip out of the bag and popped it in her mouth. "Oh my gosh," she smacked a hand over her mouth, mumbling around the chip while she chewed. The taste was extremely strong, much more potent than the smell. And salty. "I don't fell different," she commented after swallowing, "except maybe that my mouth has been assaulted." She opened a cabinet to take out a mug and filled it with some water from the sink.</p><p>Finn rolled his eyes playfully at Rey once she sat down next to him. "You'll get used to the food here eventually. Those portions on Jakku must have had no taste. Now," he waved the gloves at her again, "you didn't have these when I saw you a couple days ago, but they don't look brand new. Were you digging in a dumpster again?"</p><p>Rey grabbed the gloves from Finn, for some reason not wanting anyone to touch them. "A friend gave them to me at the supermarket today." </p><p>"Poe? Or was it Han?"</p><p>"Neither. I have friends, you know. But can I ask you something?"</p><p>Finn motioned for her to continue.</p><p>"I know you don't like to talk about it and already told Leia all you know, but..." Rey twisted the gloves in her hands. "What do you know about the Kylo Ren rumors?"</p><p>"Why are you asking?" Finn asked slowly.</p><p>"Just..." Rey bit her lip, wondering how to continue. "All kinds of people come into the cafe. Senate people. Do I need to watch out for Ben Solo?"</p><p>"Look," Finn began explaining, "I was in sanitation when I was with the First Order, so I don't know much except Kylo Ren is very real and very dangerous and Leia gets upset whenever the name comes up."</p><p>Rey's eyes widened. "So the rumors are true?"</p><p>"Have you visited the Jedi Temple yet?" Finn answered Rey's question with another.</p><p>Rey shook her head no. "I only found out it was real and not a myth a week ago.</p><p>"Leia's brother Luke Skywalker is a Jedi Master on the council. When I briefed some of the Senate leaders after my escape, Luke was there. He could probably answer your questions. Ben Solo was once his padawan," Finn explained.</p><p>"Wait..." Rey thought a moment, trying to piece things together. "So they think Ben is still a Force user?"</p><p>"A dark one. You don't just stop using the Force once trained. Ben Solo is the reason the Jedi Council was reformed–"</p><p>"What?!" Rey cut him off.</p><p>"Yep!" Finn tried to sound cheery, but the situation was anything but. "Luke had a school and after it burned down and his nephew ran off to work for Senator Snoke, Luke came to Couruscant and began forming the Council in the old Jedi Temple that hasn't existed since before the Empire. He said they never should have let so much raw power roam free with no oversight, but there was nothing stopping Ben from doing whatever he wanted. And then," Finn chuckled without humor, "Luke told me, <i>'That's not how the Force works!'</i> after I suggested maybe Ben gave it up when he left."</p><p>"So," Rey spoke up quietly, "watch out for Ben Solo."</p><p>"Yes. And you know what this means, right?" </p><p>"Do I want to know, if I don't know?" </p><p>Finn nodded, looking very serious now. "It means," he took a deep breath, "it means the First Order is colluding with the Senate."</p><p>"It could just be the Couruscant delegation," Rey hopefully suggested.</p><p>"Snoke has allies, Rey!" Finn pointed out. "A lot of them."</p><p>The wheels in Rey's head turned, more pieces coming together. "And Leia is trying to do something about it?" She asked this carefully, not wanting to reveal to Finn that she knew Ben was asking about his mother's plans.</p><p>"Yep, but she's keeping that tight lipped. The First Order won't kidnap the higher ups for intel. It would get too much attention. But us underlings?" Finn shook his head, frustrated. "We would go unnoticed."</p><p>"But they took Poe, didn't they?" Rey asked, thinking he wasn't an underling.</p><p>"We think so. Poe described a man in all black wearing a mask," Finn paused, eyes unfocused on the holo screen. "A dark Force user. Everyone is pretty sure it was them."</p><p>Rey stood up and walked over to her spiral tree in the corner of the room, plugging it in. "What does he look like? Ben?" She asked, bending down to pick up her tray of glass ornaments. Her manager let her take the tray from the cafe after it got damanged. It had been on the counter one moment and the next, flying at Ben's retreating back. He was out the door already so he never saw it hit the wall and clatter to the ground, scratching it up.</p><p>"Tall, pale, black hair. Moles dotting his face. Has Han Solo's smirk. You'll probably see him if you watch the news tonight." Finn nodded at the tray in Rey's hands, standing up and walking over to her. "Those are nice. Where did you get them?" </p><p>"Really? They're basically garbage." Rey looked down at her tray, worried she was doing Life Day wrong.</p><p>"Are you serious? These are amazing!" Finn picked up a clear ornament sphere speckled with red shards, examining it. "Where did you find these?"</p><p>"I went to the shop Poe recommended and everything was way too expensive–"</p><p>Finn cut her off. "You didn't try to haggle again, did you?"</p><p>"Finn! No, I–"</p><p>"Because we've been over this. The price is the price here. Pay and–"</p><p>"Finn! I made them." Rey finally got out, causing Finn to snap his jaw shut. "The clerk had a container of broken ones he was going to throw away, so let me have them. I had to buy to clear spheres and some glue, but it was so much cheaper," she explained. "Then I crushed the broken ones by color and glued the bits to the bottoms of the clear ones." The money spent wouldn't be a complete waste. Rey planned to gift these ornaments to her friends before returning to Jakku to wait for her parents.</p><p>Finn raised his eyebrows, but he was grinning. "Of course you did. Now," he took one of Rey's ornaments and a hook from the tray, "let's decorate your first Life Day tree." </p><p>Rey felt giddy and set her tray down on the table so they wouldn't step on it while they worked. She picked up the rainbow ornament Han and Leia had given her and hung it front and center on the tree. Rey had never seen a real rainbow. Leia told her they were symbols of hope, that there's always something wonderful waiting for you. One cloud was personalized <i>Rey's first Life Day</i> and the other with the year <i>ABY 34</i>. C3PO excitedly explained when she received it, <i>"Now, Miss Rey. I do apologize if the calligraphy is not up to standard, but young Master Solo always personalized the ornaments and he has not been home in quite some time, I'm sad to say. Excuse me."</i> before he toddled off completely unaware of the awakward silence he had caused. Apparently, the younger Solo loved calligraphy and was quite good at it. Rey remembers looking closely at the ornaments on Han and Leia's tree with their fancy, loopy writing.</p><p>Was Ben still personalizing ornaments for his own tree? Did he even have a tree? Rey knelt down with a frown, gently touching the gloves he gave her. Somehow, she had a feeling he didn't. </p><p>"Hey, are you ok?" Finn lightly touched Rey's shoulder, causing her to jump.</p><p>"Yeah. I'm fine, just...." Rey trailed off, the pad of her thumb carassing the soft leather in her hands. "The man who gave these to me? I think he's alone." </p><p>After what happened earlier in the day, Rey wasn't surprised to see Ben Solo standing with his hands in his pockets, seeming to look out her window. Something was bringing them together beyond just a trick of her imagination. She hoped his hands weren't in his pockets because they were cold. As if summoned by her thoughts, his head slowly turned towards her and when their eyes met, she felt a forceful shove that left her breathless.</p><p>"Anyway," Rey shook her head, eyes on the spot near the window where Ben disappeared, "let's finish decorating."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Somewhere in Your Silent Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ben connects with Rey after a troubling day in the Senate.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://youtu.be/8YuWAZmD0aU">Be a Light</a> Thomas Rhett<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/nT-5cP4BeoI">Somewhere in Your Silent Night</a> Casting Crowns<br/><a href="https://youtu.be/9BQU_iXEn_o">Let It Snow</a> Lindsey Stirling</p>
<p>Snoke makes an appearance this chapter! He's slightly different here... More human, less strong in the Force, and not in Ben's head.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ben's eyes widened as Rey suddenly appeared standing next to his mother in Alderaan's repulsorpod. She seemed to be at work at the cafe, her finger tapping an invisible screen in front of her, when the realization of what was happening dawned on her and her eyes slowly met up to meet his. But the moment quickly passed and Rey vanished righ as her jaw dropped.</p>
<p>"The time to act is now," Senator Organa spoke passionately, unaware of what had just occurred right next to her. The Senate was holding an emergency session following the First Order's recent crossing into New Republic territory. Even though the populists and independents combined did not have enough votes to give Senator Organa a quorum, several of the centrist senators voted in her favor. They knew her motion would not pass, but nevertheless were curious what exactly she had to say.</p>
<p>"Engaging in conflict with the First Order is completely unnecessary," Senator Erudo Ro-Kiintor, a Snoke ally, countered from the Hevurion pod. "The threat is insignificant and their numbers small. It would be a waste of resources to start a fight with a non-aggressive entity."</p>
<p>"They have broken the Galactic Concordance one too many times," Senator Organa continued. "They grow bolder with each free pass and now they have hijacked a freighter! When will it end? Our sources found–"</p>
<p>"They found nothing!" Senator Snoke cut off from the Coruscant pod, propelling it forward to hover around the Chancellor's podium in the center. "The intelligence committee has already investigated this. Your claims have yet to be proven."</p>
<p>Ben could see the anger flash through his mother's eyes from his place in Coruscant's pod, now that it was hovering much closer to Alderaan's. A tinge of guilt tugged at his heart. Snoke and his allies were lying. Many of the centrist alligned worlds were in so deep with the First Order that they were covering up reports and blocking any motion that would hinder the First Order's efforts to control the galaxy. Snoke was a patient man. He had been planning this for years, since Ben joined the Coruscant delegation while Snoke was still a junior senator. The first step had been getting the Senate's host world moved from Chandrila to Coruscant. Snoke reminded Ben that the galaxy needed to be brought to order, that it was his grandfather's legacy to see it through. Where his mother and uncle failed to follow their father's guidance, it was Ben's duty not to.</p>
<p>The anger simmering behind Senator Organa's eyes then shifted to hurt when she turned them on her son, sitting quietly behind Snoke's right shoulder. Ben looked away ashamed. They both knew what was really going on here. There was nothing he could do anymore to make his mother proud. She would never take him back after everything. All he had left was the path he was currently on, the one Snoke set him on because he believed in him. The only one who did. Except maybe... Rey.</p>
<p>Coruscant's pod drifted back to its place and Snoke returned to his seat next to Ben, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Your mother doesn't give up, does she?" He spoke softly in Ben's ear. "Except on you." </p>
<p>Ben swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing his anger down. Snoke was right. "Yes, Master."</p>
<p>"All of this will be yours someday, my boy." Snoke gave Ben's shoulder a hard squeeze before letting him go and sitting back.</p>
<p>Naboo's pod sprung forward and its populist senator, Thadlé Berenko, stood. "Naboo cannot support any military action. Our colleague from Heruvion is correct. It would be a waste of resources. I suggest all worlds build their defenses as they see is fitting to the situation. The galaxy has seen enough war." </p>
<p>"The Nabooians," Snoke chuckled quietly, "ever the pacifists."</p>
<p>"Senator Organa is correct. We need to act. Now." Senator Tai-Linn Garr's scarlet cloak fluttered as Gatalenta's pod propelled forward. "It is simply not enough to stand by and wait." </p>
<p>"We should have killed him," Snoke leaned in to whisper in Ben's ear. Senator Garr was a thorn in Snoke's side, an obstacle to his goals, maybe more so than Leia Organa. They had an assassination attempt on Senator Garr planned, but did not follow through. The timing of the Napkin Bombing a few years ago caused them to abandon their plans and thus saved the senator's life, but destroyed his reputation as an honorable populist leader once it was discovered he helped stage the attack on the populist brunch meeting in order to gain the galaxy's sympathy. The populist worlds liked to blame the First Order, but everyone knew who was really behind it. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, Ben felt uneasy about taking out a political rival, yet... his mother could have died in that bombing had she not found the note on her napkin telling her to run. Did Senator Garr have second thoughts about almost killing his colleagues? No one knows who left the note. Maybe he did deserve to die. "Yes, Master." Rey's glare as she threw a bottle of blue milk at him flashed through his mind and he swallowed another lump in his throat.</p>
<p>"My boy, are you even paying attention? You're not thinking about that girl again, are you?" Snoke's voice took on a sneer. <i>"Rey."</i></p>
<p>"Of course not, Master." Ben lied.</p>
<p>"She is nothing. I don't give a kriff how strong in the Force you think she is," Snoke reminded Ben of an earlier conversation, "let Skywalker deal with her." When Ben didn't answer, Snoke leaned in, squeezing his forearm... <i>hard</i>... in warning. "Or is she becoming a <i>weakness </i>," he spat the word causing Ben to flinch, "like your grandmother was? I wonder, would it be a better lesson for the mighty Kylo Ren to elimate her himself?" That last part was new. Ben was not sure what Snoke was sensing in him because he had only asked his master to train Rey. She needed a teacher. "You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo."</p>
<p>Ben's eyes widened, though he continued watching the proceedings. His mother and Senator Ro-Kiintor were in the middle of an argument. "That won't be necessary, Master. She plans to return to Jakku."</p>
<p>Snoke's hold didn't let up until Ben saw him nod from the corner of his eye, then sitting back seemingly satisfied. But Ben wasn't satisfied. For once, he was not concerned about chasing his grandfather's legacy. He was afraid. The memory of Rey's gentle smile as she looked down at his gloves on her hands was so strong in his mind, it almost blocked what happened next. </p>
<p>"I am announcing the Senate is taking the stance of non-aggression," Chancellor Villecham spoke from his podium in the center of the chamber. "The New Republic's Defense Fleet will not take any action against the First Order. We will continue to monitor the situation and shall strive for a peaceful solution. Our trade deals with the Borderlands region will succeed, if we maintain our course. That will be all."</p>
<p>Ben leaned forward, looking down to the pods off to his right. Alderaan's was situated near Coruscant's, giving him a clear view of its occupants. His mother was sitting hunched over, face buried in her hands, an aide Ben did not know worringly rubbing her back. As if sensing her son's gaze, Leia heavily dropped her hands to her lap and tilted her face up towards where Ben was seated in Coruscant's pod. The sheer disappointment she directed at him, because she was <i>always</i> disappointed in him, caused Ben's breath to catch in his throat. He jumped up from his seat and hurried out of the chamber, not being able to handle the suffocating atmosphere any longer.</p>
<p>"Ben?" Snoke's voice called from behind him, waiting near the door for Ben to turn around. His ever calculating eyes studied Ben's face for a solid minute before he spoke. "Go home and meditate. We're finished here."</p>
<p>Ben bowed his head. "Yes, Master."</p>
<p>Snoke walked past him with a couple other members of their delegation, probably to their offices. Though he was a junior senator, Ben was not involved much with any decision making. He was there for his lineage, his power. <i>"He's using you, son,"</i> his father had told him when they ran into each other at the spaceport last year. <i>"He wants your power. Don't give it to him."</i> Ben had swallowed down a lump of hurt and chaneled his anger into the mission Snoke was sending him on, which Han Solo absolutely did not need to know about. But based on how he was looking desperately at his son, Ben knew that his father knew a vicious red lightsaber was clipped to the belt hiding under his cloak to be used on a mission for the First Order.</p>
<p>Ben repeatedly jabbed the button for the express lift that would take him to the atrium. Alderaan was not on this concourse level so most days he was lucky not to bump into anyone from his mother's delegation. It's one of the reasons why he avoided the much closer hover transport platform for Senate staff in favor of the guest platform outside the building entrance. Though at the moment, he was regretting this decision as a peppy instrumental version of <i>Let It Snow</i> blasted out of the plaza speakers the moment he set foot outside. To make matters worse, a snowflake got in his eye. Ben blinked the cold intrusion away and looked up. Clouds blocked the nighttime stars, not that you could see them well anyway with the constantly bright city lights. Apparently, the Weather Control Network had set the city on a snowy evening. Citizens were furious last year at the <i>unseasonably</i>, as unseasonably as you can get with a planet that controls the weather, warm Life Day season. So Coruscant was making up for it this year by not only making it colder, but also giving them snow. </p>
<p>"It's almost like Alderaan," Leia remarked softly from behind Ben, causing him to jump and turn around. "The snow. Every planet with snow that is left in this galaxy is frozen year-round, but....." she trailed off with a sad chuckle, looking to the sky before setting her eyes on Ben. "Not Alderaan. There was nothing like the winters on Alderaan."</p>
<p>Ben didn't respond right away, thinking of the planet where he was a prince yet would never see it. From the few times his mother spoke of it, Ben gathered the Empire blew up the galaxy's most beautiful planet. Snow capped mountains, lush green summers, and snowy Life Day holofilms that were locked away because it still hurt too much to watch them.</p>
<p>"Ben..." Leia took a small step forward, thinking better of it when Ben stepped back.</p>
<p>"No." Ben shook his head, frustrated. "I've kept away from you for <i>years</i>. How did you know I would come this way?"</p>
<p>Leia placed a hand over her heart. "I'm your mother."</p>
<p>Ben's eyes danced around his mother's face, trying to read every thought she was trying to express without words. It was more of her usual... hope, desperation, disappointment. "Why now? What do you want?"</p>
<p>"I miss you. Come home. Your father and I want you to come home," Leia pleaded.</p>
<p>"No." Ben shook his head, fists clenching at his sides. "You want me to join you. Is this what you've been planning? You think you can turn me?"</p>
<p>Leia's eyes widened. "No, that's not it. But Ben, my little angel," she stepped forward again, reaching a hand out to Ben, "you were born to shine. Snoke's lackey? This isn't you. Come home."</p>
<p>Ben stepped back, squeezing his fists impossibly tighter. "The Supreme Leader is wise. You can't stop the First Order."</p>
<p>Another cautious step forward. "Ben..." </p>
<p>"If I went with you right now, what do you think would happen?" Ben asked, flinging his arms out. "Everyone would welcome me back? The First Order would disappear? Just like that?" </p>
<p>Tears were falling down Leia's cheeks now. "We would love you."</p>
<p>Ben's head started to pound from the force of his own tears he refused to shed. "Love is a <i>weakness</i> holding me back from my potential. I'm not a foolish boy anymore."</p>
<p>Leia regarded him sadly. "You're not Kylo Ren either."</p>
<p>Ben shook his head, slowly walking backwards. He wanted to exit this unwanted conversation. "I am what I am now, Mom. What all of you made me. Just...." a worry nagged at him, "take care of Rey." At that, he spun on his heel and strode quickly away, ignoring his mother calling his name.</p>
<p>He made it to his apartment with no more interruptions, no more snowflakes in his eyes. All he wanted was a scorching hot shower to scrub off this day and to meditate as Snoke instructed, so that's exactly what he did. He slipped on a black sweater, sweatpants, and thick socks then brewed some Chandrillan tea before settling himself in front of his floor to ceiling window.</p>
<p>"Rough day?" Ben jumped at suddenly hearing Rey's voice. She sat crosslegged to his left, looking at him with a soft unreadable expression.</p>
<p>Ben clutched his extra large mug in both hands, taking a sip of the steaming herbal liquid before answering. "Um.... yeah," was his eloquent reply.</p>
<p>"Where were you earlier? I was a bit shocked to see you had the nerve to show up again at my job, but then you were gone so..." Rey gestured with a finger between them. "I figured it was this <i>thing</i>. Whatever it is."</p>
<p>"Good to see you too."</p>
<p>Rey snorted.</p>
<p>Ben rolled his eyes, directing his gaze out his window. His apartment wasn't at the top of a spire, but it was elevated just enough to look down on the city lights and watch the ships go by right in front of him. "I was in a session in the Senate," he answered after another sip of tea.</p>
<p>"Really? Should I be worried about anything? Because you looked terrified." Rey bit into a bright red strip.</p>
<p>Ben looked down at it curiously. "What are you eating?"</p>
<p>"This?" Rey turned her face to Ben, wiggling the strip that was rolled up on one end." The box says it's a Fruit Roll Up? This is supposed to be strawberry battle burst, but it tastes awful." She took another bite, chewing a moment. "I guess that's what happens when you pack a ton of fruit into something small."</p>
<p>Ben tried, he really did, but he couldn't stop himself from bursting out laughing. He had to set down his mug to wipe the moisture from his eyes. "That's... Rey, that's not fruit. It's candy."</p>
<p>"What are you talking about?" Rey asked, exhasperated. "The box said natural flavors!"</p>
<p>Ben's lips continued twitching as he looked at Rey's angry face. </p>
<p>"Kriff!" Rey threw the candy down and screamed at where it bounced from Ben's sight. "I thought I found something familiar," she commented sadly and also much softer than the scream.</p>
<p>"Did you at least get the ones with the tongue tattoos?"</p>
<p>"What? No! Are you serious?"</p>
<p>Ben simply grinned big at her, causing Rey to let out a muffled scream into her hands. </p>
<p>"No kriffing way!" Came her muffled voice behind her hands. "This is a trick like that lightsaber yogurt."</p>
<p>"Never trust a food called... what was it? Strawberry blaster burst?" </p>
<p>Rey dropped her hands to her lap with a miserable huff. "Strawberry battle burst."</p>
<p>They both sat there quietly a couple minutes until a thought came to Ben. "Has anyone taken you shopping?"</p>
<p>Ben could see Rey shake her head from the corner of his eye. "No. They helped me find a job and an apartment and gave me a map. I suppose no one thought–"</p>
<p>"That you've never been to a supermarket," Ben finished for her. </p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>They both sat there in a peaceful silence, each looking out their windows. At least, that's what Ben thought Rey was doing too. "What are you doing right now?" he asked.</p>
<p>"Looking out the window, wondering what millions–"</p>
<p>"Trillions," Ben interrupted. "Over three trillion people live on this planet."</p>
<p>"That's..." Rey let out a breath. "That's insane."</p>
<p>"We're surrounded by three trillion people, yet it still feels so–"</p>
<p>"Lonely" Rey finished the sentence. "Sometimes I went days on Jakku seeing no one, but here I go days seeing everyone and it still feels–"</p>
<p>"Like no one," Ben finished this time. "I get it." And he did. All these people on this planet, yet he was just one of the masses. A nobody.</p>
<p>"I have friends now, so I shouldn't... I shouldn't feel so alone, but I do. They don't understand." Rey turned her face to Ben with sadness in her eyes. It was a sadness he understood all too well, one filled with longing for something out of reach.</p>
<p>"Do your friends know how afraid you were to leave? About the island you imagine when you're desperate to sleep?" Ben asked, but Rey's frown only deepened. </p>
<p>"You're in my head again. Why can't I get into yours?"</p>
<p>"You're projecting your surface thoughts," Ben explained. "You need a teacher. I could show you the ways of the Force." There was something about Rey. The Force was connecting them for a reason. He couldn't give this up, no matter how much Snoke told him no. He would eventually see that Ben was right to pursue this.</p>
<p>"Just because we can sit here pleasantly chatting whenever we're unwillingly tossed into each other's lives doesn't mean I want to learn anything from <i>you</i>."</p>
<p>Ben chuckled and picked up his forgotten mug, taking a sip. Thankfully this mug was insulated so the liquid was still hot. "You spoke to <i>me</i> first. If I'm so horrible, then don't talk to me next time."</p>
<p>Rey stubbornly jutted out her chin. "Fine."</p>
<p>"You won't be able to do it, though." Ben leaned into Rey's space and looked directly into her eyes. "Because you're just like me, but you're not alone. Not anymore."</p>
<p>A war of emotions flashed in Rey's eyes, as if she was battling being angry with him for what she thought she knew about him and giving into the same connection he felt. Her eyes then softened. "Neither are you."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All senators and some discussed events here are from canon, though of course slightly altered to fit this fic.</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>